501.BB Palestine/9–1049: Telegram
Mr. Stuart W. Rockwell to the Secretary of State
priority
Palun 317. Would appreciate urgent background information re announcement Radio Bulletin 2121 that ExImBank has approved $2,350,000 loan to Israel for port development. This seems entirely contrary to basic decision re remainder $100,000,000 Israeli credit which Porter told me had been taken in Washington and apparently indicates radical change in US attitude toward Israel (Unpal 218).2 There has been no alteration in position of Israeli delegation here on basic issues which would justify such change in US policy.
Announcement will place me in very awkward position vis-à-vis Israeli delegation, with members of which, on basis information brought by Porter and Unpal 218, I have been taking strong line re unlikelihood for present of large scale US-Israeli economic cooperation view Israeli attitude on main issues Palestine problem.
Agree with Clapp announcement particularly unfortunate view possible effect on cooperation Arab states with US.
- Dated September 8, not printed; it stated that “The newly announced loan to Israel brings the total of credits established by the Export-Import Bank in favor of that country to $53,350,000. It leaves unallocated $46,650,000 of the $100,000,000 earmarked for Israel last January.” (News Division Files)↩
- Dated August 5, from Lausanne, not printed, but see footnote 1, p. 1312.↩